A Day at the Beach
by Redeeming Endeavor
Summary: Riku rounds up his friends for a well-earned day of fun at the beach.
1. Chapter 1

**RE**: Been a while, but KH3 really lends itself to FF, doesn't it? I couldn't stay away. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 1: We'll Go Together

Aqua roamed the dark and quiet halls of the castle, running a hand along its cold and pristine marble walls. Though only a few days had passed since the end of the war and her return from the Realm of Darkness, her time roaming alone was already beginning to feel like a far-off memory. The unknowns that haunted her for so long were gone, and she, Terra, and Ven were home, safe and sound.

She stopped by an open window, admiring the sprawling courtyards below. Not too far was Master Eraqus's keyblade, their Wayfinder charms glistening under the lamplight.

Aqua placed her hand over her aching chest. The castle was never crowded or bustling with activity, but she found it strange how one fewer resident could make it feel so much emptier.

The castle, which for so long had protected Ven from the darkness that relentlessly sought him, was quick to remind her that it wasn't empty. If anything, it was livelier than it had ever been in the last ten years. The sound of knocking from the dormitories reverberated through the halls, and Aqua followed it to its source, finding her friends in a spirited conversation.

Terra stood at the doorway of Ven's room, his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. "Ven, it's late. If you're not going to sleep, then you at least need to be quieter."

"But Terra," Ven whined, "I've already slept enough to last the next decade! And this _stupid_ game is—I'm pressing the buttons when I need to, so why does it keep killing me?" Ven growled and threw himself back onto the bed, clutching his gummi phone tightly.

"Where did you get that thing, anyway? You've been playing on it all day. Soon enough it'll rot your brain."

"It will not," Ven protested loudly.

Aqua couldn't help but laugh, catching the attention of her two companions. Terra gave Ven a look. "See? You even woke up Aqua."

She waved them off before Ven could utter an apology. "Don't mind me. I was already awake."

"You were?" Terra asked.

"Yeah. Just went for a walk around the castle is all," she explained quickly. She and Terra had many one on one conversations about their experiences in the last decade. It quickly became evident that he was taking Master Eraqus's last words seriously. Perhaps she'd have to talk to him about dialing it back. He didn't have to be such a worrywart.

"See, Terra? Just because you're tired doesn't mean we all have to go to bed."

"Was he always this annoying?" Terra asked Aqua.

She shook her head. "He's only like this because he missed you so much."

"Not true," Ven said, his ears turning red. "Terra's the one who's changed. What's next? Are we going to have to wake up before the sun rises too?"

Terra rolled his eyes. "All of this coming from the kid who hasn't grown an inch in twelve years."

Aqua stepped back to avoid the scuffle, walking into Ven's room to pick up the gummi phone he had discarded. While she didn't particularly agree with Terra's take on the device, she couldn't deny that Ven was spending a lot of time playing the Classic Kingdom games. Perhaps she'd ask the research team if they could remove those from Ven's phone—or at the very least, add a time limit.

She almost dropped it when it began to ring. She answered the call, now face to face with Riku.

"Oh, Master Aqua," Riku greeted her formally. "That's weird, I thought I called Ven's phone."

"You did. He was just a little busy." Bemused, Aqua stepped aside to show Terra and Ven, who stopped mid-fight when they realized they had an audience.

"Hey, what's up?" Ven asked, jogging to get in the frame next to Aqua.

"I'm fine. Good to see you're all doing well, though I do feel a little bad for calling so late."

"No, don't worry about it. We're all awake, though I think Terra would rather we all be sleeping," Aqua said.

"Is that so?" Riku smirked. "What's the matter, old man? Past your bedtime?"

"Excuse me? Old man?" Terra stepped into view and put Ven in a headlock for laughing. "Watch yourself, kiddo. This old man could still run circles around you."

"Okay, boys, settle down," Aqua said, turning the phone so only she was left in the picture. "Riku, you called us for…?"

"Oh, right. I need some help from all of you. Got time to do me a big favor?"

"A favor?" Aqua raised a brow. They owed their return much in part to Riku. If anything, she still felt like they owed him. "Sure. Anything you need."

"Great." Riku looked relieved as he fell into the pilot's seat of his gummi ship. "I need all of you to meet me at the Destiny Islands tomorrow. Do you have a way of getting there?"

"Of course. Should we be prepared for anything?" If she'd need a keyblade, she would have to stop by Master Yen Sid.

"Yeah," Riku said. "A day at the beach."

* * *

Roxas swung his legs and leaned back, basking in the warm light of Twilight Town's sun. Given the circumstances of his return, he didn't have much time to relish the finer details of _being_. The warmth on his face. The breeze through his hair. The firm stone of the clocktower beneath him. Funny how he could feel so grounded when he was so high up.

"Oh? And here I thought I was early," Axel said, announcing his arrival at the clock tower. He took a seat next to Roxas, bringing one knee up so he was more comfortable.

"Nice threads," Roxas said, acknowledging the new outfit. Despite all the time they spent together, it was the first time he saw Axel without the cloak.

"Thanks. Courtesy of some good fairies and Master Yen Sid. I probably should've worn them before the big battle, but then we wouldn't have matched. And if we didn't match, how was anyone supposed to know you, me, and Xion were friends?" Axel asked.

Roxas shook his head. Axel always seemed to say some strange things like he knew things nobody else did. Clearly it wasn't a result of his position in the Organization. Maybe he was just a weird guy.

"So, what brought you here so early? Contemplating the meaning of life?" Axel asked.

"Not exactly," Roxas said. "I guess I'm still trying to process everything that happened… and now, what comes next."

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions for Ven—"

Roxas snickered. "Not that. I've already accepted that I'll ever get a satisfying explanation for that." His expression softened. "I'm talking about Kairi."

"Ah." Axel tapped his fingers on his knee, searching for the right words. "They'll find each other. I spent a lot of time with Kairi when we trained. She's got an unshakeable resolve that stems from her belief in Sora, so I know she's ready and waiting for him."

Roxas placed his hand over his heart, painfully aware of his connection to Sora. "Yeah. He's always felt the same way. It's different now, though."

"How so?"

"He's always been willing to do anything for her, but I think he truly understands why now. Like, he _gets it_. I don't know. It's a feeling I can't put into words, especially since it's not really mine." Roxas smiled, leaning forward just enough to look at the ground. "You know, before I joined up with him, I met Kairi in what I thought was a dream. It didn't stick out to me before, but one of the first things I did when I met her was out him."

"Hmm?"

"'You're that girl he likes,'" Roxas recited. "It was like the first thing I said when I realized who she was. In my defense, I was a little out of it."

"Heh. Don't sweat it. I think everyone but him already knew that, including Kairi." Axel placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "They'll come back. Sora's got a pretty good track record. We're here, after all."

Roxas and Axel admired the sunset in silence, content to enjoy a moment that they thought might never happen again. It wasn't long before Xion joined them—she took a seat on Roxas's left, sighing as she settled in.

"Oh, nice clothes. You pick those out yourself?" Axel asked.

Xion nodded. "Does it look okay? I didn't really know what would look good on me, so I just went with what I knew."

Axel popped his collar. "Good choice. Black is always in style."

"Yeah, you look great!" Roxas complimented.

Xion looked away, hiding her face. "W-What about you, Roxas? The king gave you munny too, right? Didn't feel like updating your wardrobe?"

Roxas scratched his cheek. "Uh, funny story about that…"

"Don't tell me you lost it." Axel groaned.

"I didn't! I just… spent most of it already."

"Was it Le Grand Bistrot?" Xion asked excitedly. "It always smells so good there, and Donald said we could eat there at a discount if we tell the owner we're Sora's friends! Apparently he and the chef were really close."

"Uh, no, but now I'm wishing I had." Roxas smiled awkwardly. "I actually ended up buying this Easter Island tissue case."

Axel and Xion gave him nothing but blank stares.

"The... tissues come out… they come out of the nose."

His confession was met with silence.

"I don't know why I bought it."

As Xion started to laugh, Axel sighed in defeat. "Things to get memorized: Roxas is an impulse spender."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far."

"Oh yeah?" How much was it? Was it worth it?" Xion asked, laughing more when Roxas playfully shoved her. "Maybe it'd be a good idea to let Axel hold onto your munny."

Roxas shook his head. "And never see any of it ever again? No thanks."

"Hey, I thought it was a great idea," Axel said. "I'd be able to buy all the ice cream I'd ever want."

Roxas and his friends settled into a comfortable banter, taking turns ganging up on each other until they were satisfied. He missed this. Though it saddened him that he ever forgot the moments like these they used to share, he now had a new appreciation for his friends. He knew he'd never take these moments for granted again.

Just a few minutes later, Isa joined them at the tower, surprising all of them with sea salt ice cream. Roxas accepted it gratefully and looked in Axel's direction. Axel might've been even more excited than Isa himself regarding his recompletion. It was good to see Axel reunited with his old friend.

Roxas found it easy to like Isa. He still came off as stoic and serious, but he had a dry sense of humor and a mean knack for sarcasm that made Axel, who used to be the wittiest one, look like an idiot. He was relieved to find that Xion, too, got along with him. They didn't see eye to eye in the past, but nowadays they seemed like they'd eventually be good friends. Whatever prejudices Saix held, Isa seemed to lack.

Roxas was about to take his first bite of ice cream when he heard three new voices join them.

"Yoohoo! Got room for three more?" Olette called out as she and her group greeted everyone.

"Hey!" Roxas nearly lost his balance in excitement. He had never even dreamed a moment like this could happen, but here were his friends from the Organization and his friends from Twilight Town, all gathered together.

"Sorry we're late. We had another job to finish, but now I think we've finally got enough to get to the beach," Pence said proudly.

"Wait, did someone say something about a beach?" Axel asked.

Before anyone could answer, the wind picked up. A gummi ship settled right in front of them, casting its shadow over the entire group.

His Organization friends—save Axel, who looked almost nervous—were curious. His Twilight Town friends, however, were stupefied.

Hayner was the only one who could put his feelings into words. "What the f—"

They flinched at the sound of sharp feedback before a familiar voice greeted them. "Attention sunset watchers: this is your captain, Riku, speaking—"

"Oh, it's Riku!" Xion said, waving at the ship.

"Boo! Get out of the way!" Axel said. "You're blocking the view!"

"...Axel, why does it look like no one was expecting me?" Riku asked.

"It's a spaceship!" Hayner yelled, shaking Olette and Pence out of their stupor. "It's a freaking spaceship!"

"Riku, what's going on?" Roxas asked, standing up.

"Axel didn't tell you?" Riku sighed into the loudspeaker. "Figures. So much for getting it memorized. Stand back, everyone. I'm bringing her a little closer."

The loading ramp of the gummi ship deployed, and it inched closer until it met the edge of the clocktower. Riku appeared from within the ship, casually walking down to meet them. He gave Axel a disappointed look.

"I… might've forgotten to mention it!" Axel admitted. Isa facepalmed behind him.

"Yes, that is abundantly clear to me now, thank you." Riku turned to Roxas. "I need a favor from everyone here. Axel was supposed to fill you in, but he can now do that along the way. You all mind coming with me?"

"Uh, even us?" Pence asked. "Who are you again?"

"A friend of Sora's," Riku replied. "Though if you don't want to come, that's perfectly—"

"Nope! We're doing this. Free ride in a spaceship? Friend of Sora's? I've heard everything I need to. We're in. Right, Roxas?" Hayner turned to Roxas.

Roxas cast an accusing glance at Axel, who held his hands up in defeat. He scratched the back of his head. "I guess it's fine if we're all going."

"I promise to have you back by sunset," Riku joked.

Xion giggled.

Roxas rolled his eyes. It wasn't that funny. "Where are we going anyway?" he asked curtly.

"It's a party," Axel answered for him. "We're meeting everyone at the Destiny Islands, right?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah. Bring that ice cream along. We've got one more friend to pick up."

* * *

Axel, as the only person with a gummi phone in the Twilight Town group, was supposed to tell them all that Riku was swinging by to whisk them away to the beach.

He did not.

Xion made him hand over the phone. Until they could all get one, she'd be taking the calls. If information flowed through her, then there wouldn't be surprise spaceships appearing in the middle of the day.

No one seemed to have any issues spontaneously boarding the ship though. To everyone's credit, this was nowhere near the weirdest or most surprising thing to happen to them in the past few days.

Xion slunk off to the cockpit, hoping for a chance to catch up with Riku. Were there rules preventing her from sitting with the captain? If there were, surely he wouldn't enforce them. He always seemed to have a soft spot for her, probably because she looked so much like Kairi.

She found him alone, looking out into space. His hands idly held the controls before him. Xion quietly settled into one of the copilot chairs behind him, hesitant to pull him from his thoughts. What was he feeling right now, knowing that his two best friends were somewhere he couldn't reach? Riku was strong, but he was still human. If he was hurting, would he show anyone?

"The view from here is a lot better from here than in the crew's quarters, isn't it?" Riku asked quietly.

Startled, Xion sat straighter in her chair. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"No, don't apologize. I actually appreciate the company," Riku said, turning to look at her. "Oh. I'm liking your new look, by the way. It suits you."

Xion smiled warmly, smoothing out her blouse. "Thank you. I um… I like your haircut."

"Oh, thanks. I suppose the Heartless were good for something after all." Riku smiled, but didn't elaborate.

"How are you holding up?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

He chuckled. "I'm fine. Happy to see that everyone's adjusting well to being back. I just checked in with Mickey and the other keyblade wielders who will be meeting us at the Islands."

"Have you spent a lot of time at home? I know it can't be easy without them."

Riku's expression softened. "No. When Xehanort summoned Kingdom Hearts, the darkness started to spread before we could fully seal it off. I've been traveling to different worlds that needed help. Suits me just fine though. It's hard for me to sit and wait. I guess I know how Kairi felt now."

""Is that why you're rounding us up? Feeling lonely?"

"Yes and no." Riku shifted in his seat and shared his hypothesis. "When Sora and I were trapped in the Realm of Darkness after defeating Xemnas, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were able to bring us back. And you know how we were able to follow Sora after closing Kingdom Hearts on this side?"

"Right. We followed our hearts."

"Exactly. I don't know where Sora and Kairi are and I know it's a long shot, but if all of us who wish for their return are gathered together, maybe it'll make it easier for them to find their way back to us."

Xion placed her hand on his shoulder. "I've always admired your resolve and how far you're willing to go for your friends. Sora and Kairi… they're lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Xion." Riku relaxed in his seat. "Enough about me though. How's the normal life treating you?"

"It's peaceful. Better than I was expecting. We've been extremely busy, but we always take time to watch the sunset at the end of the day. You know if you ever feel lonely, you're always welcome to visit us. We could always use some help in cleaning up that old mansion," Xion said.

"Wait, you're staying in the mansion?" Riku asked.

"Yeah. So are Isa, Axel, and Roxas. We couldn't impose on Hayner, Pence, or Olette, so using the mansion was the best option. Helps that there's a computer Isa can use to stay in contact with the other folks from the Organization in Radiant Garden. We've gotten enough done to make it comfortable, but… it's a mansion. There's plenty left to clean."

"Well if I ever feel like working for free, I suppose I'll drop by."

"I'd make you dinner!"

"You can cook?"

Xion hesitated. "No… but I could learn."

"I will gladly visit when you've proven that your cooking won't kill anyone then," Riku said. He laughed, blocking Xion from tickling him. "Oh, you don't want to go there."

"You took it there when you insulted my cooking skills."

"What cooking skills? Hey!" Riku yelped and hopped out of his seat when Xion managed to poke his side.

Xion smirked. Perhaps it wasn't fair, but she already knew his weak points thanks to her connections Sora and Kairi. There were plenty of memories she could exploit. Little known fact about Riku: he was _very_ ticklish, a fact he hid so well that not even Sora truly knew the extent. Only Kairi understood the gravity of it, and she'd sworn to never use it against him.

Xion, however, made no such promises.

"Not so tough now huh, Keyblade Master?" she taunted.

Something about the way Riku looked at her made her realize she might've bitten off more than she could chew.

"Sorry, but I can't let you get out of here alive to spread the secret on how to beat me," Riku said.

Why did Kairi swear to never use this fact against him again? Xion's eyes widened.

It wasn't a promise made from the goodness of Kairi's heart. It was a permanent truce.

"Now wait, Riku—Riku!" Xion shrieked, laughing in terror as Riku's fingers found her sides. She turned her back to him and tried to run, but it only meant open season on her neck.

Why did she have to inherit Kairi's flaws?

"I'm sorry!" Xion yelled between bouts of uncontrollable laughter. She managed to slow Riku's attack and quickly retreated to the other side of the captain's seat. "I said I was sorry!"

Riku shook his head and made a move toward her. Like a dance, Xion moved in turn, the two orbiting the chair. "Too late. You brought this onto yourself."

One read feint was all it took for Riku to get her. Xion endured a relentless tickle assault until tears formed at the corners of her eyes. It took all her strength and will to grab Riku's hands and stymie the onslaught.

"No more," Xion said, breathing heavily. She managed to pin him against the console, her arms shaking as they held his at bay. "Truce!"

"Promise not to—"

"I promise!" Xion pleaded. "I can't handle anymore. No more."

"Alright. Works for me." He relaxed, letting Xion hold his hands down. "You can let go, you know."

"I'd rather not take any chances."

"Suit yourself," he said, nudging her with his knee. "It wasn't the best decision you've made, but thanks for cheering me up."

Of course he saw right through her. He was sharp. She looked up to meet his eye and realized how close they were. He was practically sitting on the controls, his stance wide to make room for her.

"I know I'm not Kairi, but I want you to know that I'm here for you too. We all are," she told him.

"Am I interrupting something here?" Roxas asked, appearing at the doorway.

Xion spun and practically threw Riku back into the pilot's seat. She quickly put some distance between them. "H-Hey, Roxas! What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," he answered, warily eying the back of Riku's chair. "It was loud enough up here that we could hear it from the cabin. Everything okay?"

Riku turned to Roxas with a smirk. "Yeah. Xion was just complaining how you never take her to the beach."

"I was not!" Xion blushed. "Riku was just… joking around. We were… refueling the ship."

Riku gave her a weird look.

"Don't gummi ships run on happy faces?" Xion asked.

"Is that what you've heard?" Riku laughed. "I always thought that was something Donald and Goofy said to trick Sora into smiling all the time."

"Oh. Now I feel silly…" Xion's cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"You might be right! Every ship is different, right? Sora, Donald, and Goofy told me they visited a world powered by laughter, so a ship powered by happiness isn't impossible. I know for a fact that this one runs on something else. The King had this one specially designed for me."

Roxas, who hadn't moved from his spot, spoke up. "So you get this one to run by what? Brooding?"

Xion froze. It lasted only for a moment, but the silence was deafening.

"This one absorbs light for fuel, actually. Though if it was powered like that, I suppose we could traverse the known universe now that you're on board," Riku stated, smiling sweetly.

Roxas forced a smile in return, his jaw obviously clenched. "Is that so?"

Xion's eyes darted between the two boys before she collected Roxas and left the cabin in a rush.

What the heck was that all about?

* * *

Riku smirked when he heard Xion start scolding Roxas before they were out of earshot.

It was probably unfair of him to tease Roxas like that, but Riku couldn't help himself. Seeing Xion and Roxas reminded him of his younger years with Sora and Kairi. Sora was such an easy target, and Roxas was no different.

"Whatever. Just make it up to him," Riku told himself. He opened a portal to Radiant Garden with his keyblade. With the world in sight, he called the lab. Ienzo was the one to answer while Ansem and Even worked in the background.

"Hey, Ienzo. Is Naminé ready to go?"

"I believe so. We've been monitoring her the past few days and everything looks good."

Riku raised a brow. "Monitoring her? Why?"

"Naminé's return was a bit… different than everyone else's. It took her heart a little longer to settle into the replica you provided us."

Riku frowned, reliving the moment he lost one of his best friends. Stay strong, he reminded himself. They'll be back. "I see. But she's okay now?"

"One hundred percent. Even her powers remained. A surprise, to be sure, but a welcomed one." Ienzo stepped out of the lab and lowered his voice. "I think she'd appreciate being with friends closer to her age. She's expressed her discomfort to us for, as she put it, 'babying her.'"

Riku chuckled. "Well, make sure someone tells her to wait outside. I should be there very soon."

Landing the gummi ship in the courtyard outside Ansem's lab was no easy feat, but Riku deftly handled the challenge. As he felt the landing gear touch the ground, Riku wished Sora was around to see it. Nobody else would've been able to appreciate the maneuver like him.

Riku quickly left the cockpit, passing his friends along the way.

"Haven't been here in a long time," Axel said, peering out the window of the passengers' cabin. "Should we be getting off?"

"I feel the need to inform you that this is not the beach," Isa added dryly.

Riku smirked. "No kidding. We won't be here long, so just stay on the ship. We're picking up one more friend, remember?"

He left the ship and stepped out into the sun, shielding his eyes from the light. Petals from the blooming trees danced all around him, and at the edge of the courtyard stood Naminé, as real and as alive as ever.

It was time to make good on a promise.

The walk over felt longer than the time he had gone through since he last saw her. A wave of insecurity flooded his thoughts. Should he have prepared a speech? Maybe he should have picked her up first. Was everyone watching them from the ship?

She was right in front of him now. Riku extended his hand.

"Hey."

Naminé gave him a lopsided smile as she took his hand. "Hi."

"Your chariot"—Riku paused to pull a petal out of his mouth—"your chariot awaits."

Naminé giggled, tightening her grip. "Smooth."

"I've heard that you've been treated like a princess here," he said, lightly swinging their hands. "Figured I'd keep that trend going."

"Do people treat princesses like they're made of glass and need everything done for them? If so, then yes. Between you and me though, I could really go for something normal right now."

"Rest assured, fairy tales about princesses usually have a happy ending, and it usually starts with the appearance of a prince." Riku winked.

"Are you calling yourself a prince, Riku?"

He shrugged. "You can think what you want. I'm just here to take you to the beach."

* * *

Naminé and Riku spent some time chatting in the cockpit. He had offered to bring her over to the group, but she declined. She didn't belong there. She probably didn't belong here either, but Riku was familiar. Plus, she wasn't sure how to act around the organization. What would they think of her being there?

What would Roxas think of her now that he remembered Xion?

The anxiety was paralyzing. It was easier not knowing what he thought than learning that he hated her.

He had his friends now anyway. He didn't need her, and that was probably a good thing.

"You sure you want to sit up here instead of the back with everyone?" Riku asked, setting a course for home.

"I don't want to interrupt them. They have their own dynamic, I'm sure, so I don't want to get in the middle of it."

"You say that like they don't want you to be a part of it."

"Why would they?" Naminé asked quietly. "After what I did—"

Riku rushed over to her, placing his hand on hers. "No. We all did things to hurt each other, Naminé. It's not even in question whether they forgive you. Do you really think me, Sora, and Kairi are the only ones who wanted to see you again?"

Naminé looked into his eyes. "I don't deserve to have a friend like you."

"You deserve to have more than just me." He knelt so their faces were level. "I know you've been told that you're a Nobody, that you can't feel, or that you don't have a right to exist. But all of that was wrong. Ansem and his team worked hard to bring you back just to prove that to you. You deserve to be happy."

Naminé released a shaking breath she didn't know she was holding. She managed to smile as a tear streaked down her cheek. "Thank you, Riku. You really are the best."

He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I get that a lot," he said, smirking. He pulled her into a tight hug before returning to his seat. "We're almost there. Last chance: you absolutely sure you don't want to hang with the Twilight Town crew? You'll need to be seated when we break into the atmosphere, so it's either in your current seat or in the passenger cabin with everyone else."

Before she could answer, someone knocked at the door. Riku pressed a button on the armrest of his seat, opening the door without confirming who was on the other side.

It was part of the group from Twilight Town—namely, former members of the organization. In the middle of them was Roxas. His eyes widened when they found hers.

Naminé shot to her feet.

"Naminé?" A smile slowly spread across her face. "Is it really you?"

Naminé felt small. Had this many people ever looked at her at once? She was not used to this attention. She turned to Riku, hoping for support.

And he slowly raised the gummi phone to his ear, pretending to take a call with a grin.

_Thanks for nothing._ She turned back to the group in front of her and gave them a small wave "H-Hi…"

It was about all she managed before Roxas engulfed her in a hug. After getting over the initial shock, Naminé returned it. She couldn't help but breathe in his scent.

"Naminé! Where have you been?!" Roxas held her at arm's length. "It's so good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, Roxas." She looked around him to the rest of the Organization. "It's good to see all of you."

"Likewise, kiddo," Axel said.

"Glad to see you in one piece, believe it or not," Isa said, nodding in her direction.

"I'm happy you're back," Xion said, hugging both her and Roxas. "It's wonderful to see that you're doing alright."

"You too, Xion."

"Wait, you two met?" Roxas asked. He turned back to Axel and Isa, who shrugged.

"Yes. We... talked about you a lot," Xion said, giving Naminé a knowing look.

Roxas tilted his head. "What about?"

"That's a secret," Naminé said, holding a finger to her lips. Xion giggled.

"Hate to interrupt the reunion, but I'll be bringing it in for landing soon," Riku said. "Naminé, why don't you follow them back to the cabin?"

"Subtle," Naminé mumbled. She looked at Roxas and Xion and knew immediately that she couldn't say no to them. "If you guys are okay with it, I guess it's fine."

"Great!" Roxas said, snatching her hand.

"We'll just be borrowing her, if you don't mind," Xion said, nudging Riku in the shoulder.

He waved them off. "Just get your butts in those seats. And make sure to wear your seatbelts, got it?"

Axel gave him a mock salute as he ushered his friends out. "Aye aye, captain."

* * *

**RE**: Thanks for reading. I want to thank xoKyorii for creative input, proofreading, and helping me wrestle with some ideas on this chapter. Always helps to have a friend and fellow writer who'll let you bounce ideas for something as trivial as fanfiction. If you haven't read any of her work... where have you been?

I'd love to hear your opinions on KH3. I'll leave some of my thoughts on it in my profile (along with some of the "why" behind the creative decisions in this fic), and I invite you to message me if you want to discuss it! Overall, I know it's not flawless, but I loved it.

You can already guess that next chapter is going to be about the beach party. The cutscene doesn't start until sunset, so there a whole day of character interactions that we didn't see enough of in-game that I'm excited to write.

Take care, y'all. I'll see you around.


	2. Chapter 2

**RE**: It's delayed, but done! Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 2

Ven stirred his tea and took a long sip before placing it back on its saucer. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his moustache as he narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Macaron?" Donald offered, holding a plate of colorful confections before him.

"No thanks," Ven said, resetting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Cake?" Goofy asked.

"Oh! Don't mind if I do." Ven gratefully accepted the slice the Knight Captain handed him.

"Ven," Aqua called as she entered the crew's quarters of the King's gummi ship, "we're about to land, so—what the?"

"Hello Aqua," Ven greeted coolly. He again nudged his glasses higher on his nose. "Care to join our tea party? Apparently it's customary in Disney Town to have tea at this time. Right, Donald?"

"Right!" the Court Magician agreed, snickering quietly.

Ven placed a pair of glasses—colorful nose and fake moustache attached—and a party hat on the chair next to him and beckoned his friend to sit. "Now that the battle's over, we've got all the time to take advantage of our lifetime passes to Disney Town. Better start learning about their customs now rather than later, right?"

Aqua raised a brow. "I guess? Mickey never told me that there was a designated time for tea is Disney Town."

"Oh, Aqua," Ven said, shaking his head. "I know we've been out of the game for a while, but _everyone_ knows about tea time at Disney Town."

"You learned about it ten minutes ago," Donald said bluntly.

Ven ignored him. "Don't worry—I'll catch you up on all the etiquette so we don't look silly when we finally go. Maybe we should get Terra too."

Aqua could barely take Ven seriously when he looked like that. "Okay, so I can buy into the idea of tea time even though I'm pretty sure that's not really a thing. But what's with the—" Aqua paused when she saw Goofy holding one finger to his face and Donald wildly waving his arms behind Ven. She smiled and nodded. "Never mind."

"So will you be joining us? Could I offer you a slice of cake? A chocolate-dipped crisp? Perhaps a macaron?" Ven presented each one with a dramatic flair—just like Goofy and Donald had taught him.

"Thanks, but I'm fine for now. I'm sure everyone at the beach will want some though, so try not to eat it all," Aqua said. "I'm going to sit with Terra and Mickey. Just get ready to unload the ship when we land, okay?"

She left Ven to Donald and Goofy. Who was she to deny them a little fun? Ven seemed to be enjoying himself too, and there were worse things than looking asinine while partaking in a fake custom.

When Aqua made it back to the King and Terra, the ship lurched as it entered the atmosphere. She lost her balance, but Terra held her upright.

"Thank you," Aqua said.

"How's Ven? Did you tell him we should be there soon?" Terra asked.

"He's fine. He's actually having a tea party with Donald and Goofy, but I think they tricked him into wearing these silly glasses," Aqua explained.

Mickey sighed from the captain's chair. "Oh brother. Those two have turned into a regular pair of pranksters after all their adventures with Sora," he said.

"Sounds like some good ol' harmless fun to me," Terra said. "You know, I don't remember the last time we took a vacation. It might be good for him."

"Have we ever?" Aqua asked, taking a seat. "One day we were training for our Mark of Mastery exams, and then everything happened so quickly. And now we're going to the beach… and you know, there's something surreal about seeing everyone so grown up."

"Careful, Aqua. We're not _that _old. Time might've passed out here, but it didn't for us. Kind of takes the sting out of missing so much."

"That's an optimistic way of looking at it," Aqua said. "Good thing those Disney Town passes last a lifetime."

"Hmm?"

"Oh, Ven brought it up earlier. Remember he's supposed to bring grown-ups?" Aqua smirked.

"I completely forgot about that!" Terra guffawed. "_'Aqua, Terra, I need an adult.'_"

Aqua clutched her sides. "Do you think he's tall enough to ride everything?"

The two laughed until the ship landed.

* * *

Isa didn't care much for the beach, but the rest of his housemates seemed keen on the idea, so he followed along. He sat under the shade near the waterfall, watching his younger housemates have an animated conversation with friends closer to their age. How they could all carelessly play under the bright sun was lost on him.

"Isn't the jacket a bit much, Isa?" Axel asked, uncapping a bottle of lemonade as he stood next to his friend.

"I'm fine. For what it's worth, I did not plan on coming to the beach today. Would've been nice if you told us, Lea."

"It was a small mistake that didn't end up mattering anyway." Axel waved it off. "Besides, I brought frisbees."

"I don't follow."

"I may have forgotten to tell you all where we were going, but I at least remembered to prepare for the beach myself. And I brought frisbees."

"You say that like it's supposed to justify or explain something." Isa chuckled. "Whatever."

"I'm thinking we could play with Ven when they get here. You know, just like the old days."

"Back in the old days you tried to fight him with said frisbees and ended up on the floor, if I remember correctly. Did you enjoy it so much that you're aiming to recreate it today?" Isa asked.

"Don't try to hide your excitement," Axel said, taking a long gulp from his drink.

Isa noticed Roxas and Xion running toward them. "Looks your kids need something from you, Lea."

Axel rolled his eyes. "You mean our friends?" He turned to Roxas and Xion when they were close enough. "Roxas, Xion. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Xion spoke first. "So, Roxas and I were talking to Naminé about Twilight Town and stuff, and you know how we're at the mansion living together and she's in Radiant Garden alone?"

"We were wondering if it'd be okay if Naminé moved in," Roxas added quickly.

"Why are you asking me? It's not like I decide who gets to live with us." All three of them turned to Isa.

With all the attention on him, Isa blanched. "Why are you looking at _me_?"

"Aren't you like…I don't know, leader of the house?" Xion asked.

"I don't recall claiming that role."

"Force of habit, I guess," Roxas said.

Now that was a joke if the boy had ever told one. Since when did Roxas care for the chain of command or doing things properly? Isa looked at their redheaded friend expectantly.

Axel threw his hands up. "You get to take point on this one, chief."

Isa sighed, rubbing his forehead. "If she wants to and if she's willing to do her part to clean up, I don't have a good reason to say she can't..."

"Yes!" Roxas and Xion cheered.

"...If you can tell me where she'll stay until one of the other rooms have been cleared."

"I've got the biggest bed and the most space, so she can just share a room with me," Roxas suggested.

Axel choked on his drink.

"Absolutely not." Isa deadpanned.

"She can stay in my room." Xion rolled her eyes, patting Axel's back as he was coming down from a coughing fit.

"Perfect!" Roxas started to backpedal from the conversation. "I'll go tell her now—"

"No, you won't," Xion said, grabbing his collar when he turned to run. "You are going to apologize to Riku for that little exchange earlier. I'll talk to Naminé about moving in."

"Does it have to be right now?" Roxas pouted.

"Yeah, right now!" Xion said. She turned to Isa for approval. "Right?"

"Why—" Isa cut himself off and sighed. "Whatever. Just go."

The young keyblade wielders ran off, one more enthusiastic than the other. Axel sauntered over and put his forearm on Isa's shoulder. "Don't tell me you're suddenly uncomfortable telling other people what to do now," Axel teased.

"We're not in the Organization anymore. They don't need my permission to do anything."

"Yeah, but they're still young. Better that they're asking for your approval than sneaking behind your back."

"It can only be considered sneaking behind my back if I cared."

"Oh stop." Axel rolled his eyes. "The apathetic act won't work on me. Just accept your new role and run with it."

"What role is that?"

"Group mom."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Isa shrugged his friend off. "Lea, you can call me whatever you want, but you and I both know who the real _mom_ is here. Perhaps I should tell them what you were doing this morning—"

"Now wait just one second!"

"Oh, and not just this morning—I believe you've been making a habit of it."

"Isa…" Axel warned.

"Do_ your babies _know that you check to see if they're asleep in their beds every night and watch them before they wake up every morning? Ha!" He dodged, jumping out of Axel's reach.

"You will never speak of this again, Isa!" Axel said, pointing an accusing finger at his friend. Their argument was cut short when a gummi ship landed nearby and Ven came barreling out wearing a party hat, excitedly calling out to them. "Not one word, okay?"

* * *

Carrying several beach chairs in one arm and dragging a cooler in the other, Riku trudged through the sand when an unexpected guest offered help.

"You need any help with that?" Roxas asked, jogging over to Riku.

Roxas wasn't the first person Riku would've expected, but then again, maybe it wasn't surprising at all. Axel and Isa seemed preoccupied talking with Xion and Naminé. The other group from Twilight Town were slowly setting up their beach chairs, looking like they had never been taken to the beach on a space ship before.

Realization dawned on him as spotted Mickey and friends greeting everyone. Was he going to get a lecture on maintaining the world order from Donald and Mickey later?

"Riku?"

"Huh? Oh!" Riku set everything down. "Thanks, Roxas. Uh, sure. Take these chairs. We're unloading everything to the seaside shack over there," he explained, pointing to the wooden storage room in the distance.

Roxas wordlessly scooped up his assignment and followed in Riku's footsteps. The former Organization member broke the silence first. "Hey, so I talked to Xion and... about before… sorry for being a jerk. That was uncalled for."

_Ah. So that's why he's here._ Riku shook his head. "I thought it was funny actually. To be honest, seeing you and Xion reminded me of Sora and Kairi. I used to tease Sora all the time, so that kind of extended to you two. She wasn't complaining—I just found it funny how she acted around you."

"Does Xion act funny around me?"

"And Naminé." Riku wanted to say more, but recognized that this was a conversation to make amends and not love triangles. "Not to scare you or anything, but you've got your hands full."

"Huh?"

Riku paused and faced Roxas, disbelief written all over his face. "Seriously? You can't tell?"

"Xion acts the same way she does around Axel and Naminé treats me like she treats you. What am I missing here?" Roxas asked.

Riku sighed. "It's nothing."

Roxas decided to move on. "So Xion wasn't complaining about me?"

"No, she was actually trying to cheer me up. I only said that to make you jealous. I did the same thing to Sora when we were younger," Riku said, spelling everything out.

"Oh. Okay. I guess it kinda worked then," Roxas said. "It's just… back when we were in the organization, Axel, Xion, and I all made a promise to go to the beach one day. I thought you were referring to that."

Riku grimaced how he put it. "Wow. Now I feel terrible."

Roxas chuckled. "Don't. Really, it's fine. You didn't know. Besides, I was the one who walked in with the intention of bringing Xion out. I didn't think you two were close, but I know now that she trusts you. And look: we ended up at the beach anyway."

"Ha! I guess that's true," Riku said opening the door with a free hand. "Really, Roxas. Don't sweat it."

"If you say so."

The two boys set the cooler down and fell into an awkward silence. Riku looked around the shack, spotting a few wooden swords leaning against the wall. He walked over, picking one up.

"Can't believe these are still here. They're a lot smaller than I remember," Riku said as he examined the makeshift toy. "Sora and I used to battle pretty often."

"I know," Roxas said.

"Hmm? Oh. The memories."

Roxas walked over and picked up Sora's sword. "Who usually won?"

"I did, obviously." Riku chuckled. "I'm sure he remembered it very differently though."

"Oh, he was pretty much undefeated if his memory was anything to rely on." Roxas laughed. "Seems like it was a lot of fun."

"It was." Riku looked up the staircase that led back outside.

Roxas followed his gaze. Sora had some fond memories of the battles that happened beyond that door. Roxas was about to set the sword down when an idea struck him. Instead, he picked up another sword. "So I heard you're a keyblade master now," he said, twirling the swords in his hands.

"Yup." Riku turned to him. "And I noticed you can still wield two keyblades."

"I might," Roxas admitted.

"Cool." Riku nodded slowly as he tapped the sword against the palm of his free hand. "Pretty, pretty cool."

Roxas raised a brow. It was fine, right? They unloaded the gummi ship, the King and his companions still hadn't arrived, and everyone else was already having fun.

Riku stared at Roxas, fighting back a smile. It had been a while since he last sparred with a friend. And there was still that outstanding issue of who really won that fight a while back…

Roxas seemed to get it. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"No magic, keyblades only—"

"Win by two disarms, ring outs, or yields?" Roxas finished.

Tossing the wooden swords aside, the two boys raced up the stairs.

* * *

Aqua quickly realized that there were more people at this beach party than there were at the Keyblade Graveyard. She vaguely recognized the tall one with blue hair as a former adversary, but it seemed Ven was talking to him like an old friend just like he did with Lea—or was it Axel? Aqua felt as if half the people there referred to the novice keyblade wielder called him Axel while a select few called him Lea. She'd have to check with him.

While the King handed out gummi phones to everyone who needed one—who were those three teenagers talking with Donald and Goofy?—Aqua scanned the beach for her other companion. Terra had mentioned that he was going to join the keyblade battle going on between Riku and the one who looked like Ven when they landed. Instead, he was talking to a new girl who looked to be around Kairi's age.

She watched them for a moment. It seemed like they knew each other, but when would they have met? Both she and the girl were taken aback when Terra bowed in gratitude.

She'd have to ask him about that later.

"Aqua!" Ven called as he ran over to her. "Where's Terra? You guys _have_ to try this tarte… fruit thing that Lea and the others brought from Twilight Town."

"Sounds good," Aqua said. "I think Terra was planning on sparring with Riku and your twin over there."

"What? Why wasn't I invited?"

"Terra mentioned he wanted to talk to Riku after they were done."

"Do you think he's mad that Riku managed to become a Keyblade Master before he was able to?"

Aqua shook her head. "Not at all. I'm sure he's happy to hear that the one he bequeathed has come so far."

"What?" Ven couldn't contain his surprise. "When did that even happen?"

"Around the time I became a Master," Aqua explained. "Both Terra and I met Sora and Riku when they were just children, though by the time I ran into them, Riku was already tapped to wield the keyblade. I never would've imagined that they'd be the ones to save us."

Ven grinned. "You and Terra have a good eye for finding the right people."

"Don't sell yourself short, Ven. I think you found Sora before any of us." Aqua ruffled his hair. "Let's hope all of us can help guide him and Kairi home."

* * *

When Terra fell into the water four times in what amount to twenty-one seconds of combat, he was sure that he had massively underestimated the fighting prowess of the two young keyblade wielders before him. Or maybe he had overestimated himself.

Was he at full strength? No. Was he complete adjusted to having a physical body for the first time in more than a decade? Also no.

What were you thinking, Terra? he mentally cursed.

At full strength, he could more than hold his own against other Keyblade Masters like Aqua and Master Eraqus. Why, then, did he think he could handle two master-level wielders—one of which who actually held the distinction—at the same time in a confined space after years without practice?

Despite never fighting as a team before, Riku and Ven's lookalike—Roxas, Terra reminded himself—complemented each other's styles nicely and moved like they had known each other's fighting style for years.

Roxas's style was all-out offensive and hyper aggressive with few openings—and Riku filled those windows nicely. Having to worry about Roxas's two keyblades was already enough to put Terra on his back foot, and not knowing what Riku would do—attack with his keyblade, elemental magic, dark magic, or kicks—was always enough to tip the balance in their favor. In a ruleset where moving outside a small ring counted as a loss and no restrictions in fighting style, Terra knew he'd be lucky to neutralize just one of them.

Had he even landed a hit?

The next round started. Terra braced himself, expecting Roxas to blitz him with a flurry of his keyblades. To his surprise, Riku charged forward with an overhead swing. Terra parried, casting Riku aside before having to dodge beams of light Roxas had conjured to start the match. He contorted his body, narrowly dodging most of them. He barely registered that one of the beams, much colder than the rest, didn't come close to hitting him as Roxas flew in.

Perhaps Roxas had trouble controlling magic while multitasking.

Years of experience told Terra to expect a spinning horizontal swing, one at his head and the other at his chest. He thought to turn his keyblade down, brace it against his forearm, and block the attack with ease, but Roxas wasn't his only opponent—he knew he'd have to account for Riku. Why else would Roxas attempt a reckless attack if not to distract him from the real threat?

One keyblade coming high, another at mid, and a sweep at ground level. Riku was more likely to attempt a sweep using his leg instead of the keyblade; otherwise, both he and Roxas were sitting ducks.

He'd get hit by Roxas if he tried jumping over. He'd trip if he tried to duck. Going back he'd get hit by both, but going forward, toward Roxas's launch point, would be safest.

By the time Terra processed everything, he realized it was too late to dive forward. Terra threw himself back, slipping under Roxas's keyblades. Just as he predicted, Riku attempted to trip him, but he kicked his legs into the air. Landing on his back, Terra performed a kick up, springing out of range of Riku's keyblade.

He executed it to perfection, but he hadn't planned to land on a long strip of ice that led right off the plateau.

"Oh come on!" Terra growled as he lost his balance. His momentum carried him right to the edge.

Before he hit the water, someone grabbed his hand. Terra looked up. Riku smiled down at him, doing his best to lift Terra up to dry ground. Roxas helped a moment later.

"Thanks," Terra said to the young wielders. He crawled over to the bent palm and leaned against it. "Darn. Five straight."

"I thought you might've had us this round," Riku said.

"Me too, but it seemed like you planned for every possibility. Well done."

"It helps that there's two of us and you don't have room to go anywhere," Roxas added. "You've got only a few steps to maneuver before you're falling off."

"I see why you had restrictions." Terra rolled his shoulder and sighed. "You seem to have a lot of experience fighting other wielders, Roxas. Is that the case?"

Ven's doppelganger shrugged. "I guess. The organization worked me to the bone for almost a year, so I had to learn quickly. I've fought Xion, Sora, sparred with Axel and Xion together pretty recently, and even fought Riku at some point." He smirked. "I beat him."

Riku rolled his eyes. "Did not. Only one of us was conscious by the end of the fight. Spoiler alert: it wasn't you."

"Sure, if cheating counts."

"Either way, I'd love it if you and the others could swing by every now and then. I think we could all benefit from sparring with each other," Terra interjected. "Aqua and I could use your help in getting back to full strength. It wouldn't hurt to practice with Ven either."

Shelving his debate with Riku, Roxas crossed his arms in thought. "I'd have to talk to everyone, but I think it could work." He scanned the beach, frowning after a few seconds of searching. "Sorry, I have to take care of something. We'll continue this later? I'm on board, and I'll let you know if everyone else is too."

"Sure," Terra said.

"I'm down too," Riku said after Roxas ran off. "But... it's going to have wait until Sora and Kairi come back. Until I know they're safe—"

"I understand." Terra nodded. "Even when you were young, it was obvious how much you cared for them."

Riku seemed surprised. "You remember?"

"Of course. It's good to see that you do too. You were quite young."

"It changed my life. How could I forget?" Riku asked. He held his hand out and formed a fist. "It wasn't easy, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I've seen so many worlds, made some friends…"

"Gained the strength to protect what matters," Terra added.

"Have I?" Riku questioned. "Because I can't help but feel like I could've done more."

"You've done so much already. Mickey and Aqua filled me in on what you've been up to all this time. I honestly couldn't believe it."

"But Sora and Kairi…"

"Will return. You believe that, right?"

"Of course," Riku answered quickly. "But sometimes I just wish I would've gone with him. At least we'd be together."

"They need you here, Riku. When I was lost and Ven was asleep, it was Aqua who made sure we could all reunite someday. Just as Aqua's light guided me back, your light will bring them back home." Terra shrugged. "Consider it a Master's burden. If you think about it though, it's all your fault."

"Huh?"

"If you hadn't been so competent, maybe Sora wouldn't have run off like that."

Riku laughed. "Yeah. I guess I've done him one too many favors. It's really both of them, too. They get too lost in each other that leave most of the work to me."

"See? You're an enabler," Terra joked. "You're stronger than I've ever been, Riku, and you haven't even reached your full potential. I know I don't have any right to say this, but… I'm proud of you."

"Heh. Thanks." Riku looked away. "That means a lot coming from you."

Terra patted Riku on the shoulder. To think the young boy to whom he had bequeathed the Keyblade would turn into such a formidable warrior and recognized as a Keyblade Master almost brought tears to his eyes. He had made plenty of mistakes in the past, but deeming Riku a worthy wielder was not one of them.

* * *

Ven yawned as he opened the cooler, staring at the assortment of drinks wedged in the ice. It was well past noon and he was ready to crash for a nap. He needed something sugary, or else he'd be looking for a comfortable place to sleep.

"What did Aqua want again?" he asked himself, staring at the different drink flavors and colors. A hint of yellow caught his attention. Well, at least he remembered what he wanted. Lucky him. It was the last lemonade.

The sound of someone entering caught Ven's attention. He froze when he saw himself—or at least someone who looked a lot like him—standing at the threshold.

"Oh," Roxas didn't hide his surprise, but he seemed unaffected. "Hi."

"H-Hey," Ven said.

Roxas strode over, opening the lid that Ven had dropped. "Ven, right? Don't mind me. I'll be out of your way soon."

Ven stood still as if moving would offend his doppelganger. Did the guy have to wear the same colors too? As if it wasn't enough that they looked alike. And if one of them had to change, surely it would have to be Roxas. _I was here first_, Ven reasoned. _And this is silly._

"So are we going to like… ever talk about this?" he asked, relaxing a little as Roxas grabbed a drink.

Roxas chuckled, twisting the top off his bottle. "It's easier if we just let it be, man."

"But don't you want to know why you look like me?!"

"You mean why you look like me?"

"Um, I was here first," Ven said slowly, "so wouldn't that mean you look like me?"

"Either way, couldn't care less. Got other things to worry about right now. See ya!" Roxas gave him a quick wave and capped his lemon—wait, did he take the last lemonade?

"Hey, wait!" Ven called out only after Roxas had slipped out. He ran to the cooler, groaning when he confirmed that his drink of choice was no longer available. "You've gotta be kidding me."

In a flash of light, Chirithy materialized next to Ven. "That was pretty neat."

Ven crossed his arms, huffing. "Really? I thought he was kind of mean."

"No way. He was like dark, serious, handsome version of you."

"Hey! What do you mean by 'handsome version' of me? We look exactly alike!"

"Yeah, except he looks like you if you were a hundred times cooler too. And didn't you see him fight? He could probably be a master if he tried."

"So could I," Ven mumbled grumpily.

The door abruptly swung open, cutting off their conversation. Riku strolled in, pausing when he noticed the shack wasn't empty.

"Oh, hey Ven. This your… cat?" Riku asked.

"The name's Chirithy," the dream eater greeted, hiding behind Ven's legs.

"And he's not a cat. He's my friend," Ven clarified.

"Oh. Well, nice to meet you Chirithy. You two find everything you need?" Riku asked as he made his way to the cooler. He grabbed a bottle of water and started chugging.

"Y-Yeah. We actually just ran into Roxas. I think he just took the last lemonade. Also, how come I'm the only one with a clone?"

Riku laughed, wiping the water that spilled on his chin. "Sorry. I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

"Me neither," Ven admitted. "He wasn't very open to talking about it. Is he always that… standoffish?"

"Honestly, I might be the wrong person to ask," Riku said, "but yeah, he's like you if you were more of a jerk. But for what it's worth, he's been through a lot and his close friends seem to love him."

"He didn't seem interested in giving me the time of day."

"He left me and Terra in a hurry too, so whatever it is must be important." Riku crossed his arms. "He'll warm up to you—he's probably weirded out too. If you're looking for a few minutes of his attention, you could try challenging him. He seems to enjoy that, and I'm sure knocking him down a few pegs would earn you some time."

Ven frowned. "I guess…"

"Oh, don't worry. He's not that good." Riku winked and dug through the ice, producing another bottle of lemonade with a flourish. He tossed it to Ven. "Make sure you get back out there, okay? We've got the whole beach to ourselves. Try to have some fun."

Ven nodded. "Right. See you around, Riku." He turned to Chirithy after Riku left and placed his hands on his hips. "See? Now that guy is the definition of cool."

Chirithy shrugged. "No arguments here."

* * *

They called it The Secret Place, but the cave wasn't much of a secret, nor was it hard to find. Though it was her first time physically exploring the cave, Naminé was already familiar with the turns and dips and drops in the ceiling height.

The air was cooler in here, and it always smelled like the more wooded parts of Play Island after a day of heavy rain—almost like the Deep Jungles where Sora had crash landed near the beginning of his adventure. Naminé smiled sardonically. Yet another memory that didn't belong to her.

She finally reached her destination. Sunlight spilled between the roots and rocks above, revealing the cave drawings that covered the walls. Naminé took her time to look around, taking everything in as if she were visiting a museum. It was hardly related, but it reminded her of her room in the Twilight Town mansion, how she had covered those blank walls with drawings and illustrations of Sora's memories.

Naminé knelt next to one drawing in particular. She pressed her fingers against the cool stone, tracing the two drawings of paopu fruits that were added far more recently than anything else on the walls.

"They weren't the best artists, but they sure got their points across, didn't they?"

Naminé yelped, exhaling loudly when she realized Roxas was there. He seemed amused that he managed to sneak up on her.

She turned back to the drawings. "I had a dream that they shared one before the fight. I wonder if it was a memory."

Roxas walked over and sat next to Naminé, placing his bottle of lemonade down in front of him. "I had the same dream. It's gotta be a memory, right?" He pressed his fingers against the wall, mirroring Naminé. "When Sora came back after the fight with Xemnas, he discovered that Kairi had completed the drawing. I think my heart was asleep at the time, but I kind of remember how happy he felt."

"It's strange, right? Remembering or feeling things that aren't really yours?"

"Product of being former Nobodies, I guess."

Naminé stared at Kairi's and Sora's drawings. "Why are you here, Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"In the cave. I'm sure your friends are looking for you."

"I just needed to get out of the sun and take a break from sparring with Riku and Terra. And I wanted to see you. I figured you might be in here when I didn't find you outside."

"… I see."

"What about you? Come to admire the artwork of these two lovebirds?" Roxas asked, nodding toward the drawings.

"Yeah. I guess I just want to see them… to know they're alright."

"They may not be here with us, but they're together. You and I both know that for them, that's enough."

"What makes you so sure they're together?"

"Don't you remember? Because we are. And if we're together, they've gotta be too," Roxas said. "That's the feeling I get anyway."

Naminé blushed. Insecurity and doubt bubbled in her thoughts. She didn't know how much of Sora's feelings for Kairi's made up whatever Roxas felt. Did he even know? He couldn't have. "You say such reckless things, Roxas."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I just… how can you say that so easily?" Naminé asked, wringing her hands and willing them to stop shaking. "I don't want you to feel like you have to include me in anything. You have Xion and Axel back, and it's okay if you'd rather be with them. You don't owe me anything—"

"Naminé, relax."

"Do you know what I did? Do you know how your time with Axel and Xion came to an end? My role in how it all happened?"

"It's okay. We know everything. We talked about it already, Naminé. It's all in the past." Roxas said calmly.

Naminé shook her head. "How do you even know if those feelings are yours? We were Sora and Kairi's Nobodies. What if your feelings are just another thing we've inherited from them? What if—"

The words stopped flowing when Roxas gently took her hand. Slowly, he coaxed her to unclench her first, running his thumb across the back of her hand. "Naminé," he said softly, "Who do you see when you look at me?"

"W-What?"

"You don't see Sora, right? It's me. Roxas." He gave her a lopsided smile. "Maybe you see Ven, but I like to think there's _something_ to distinguish us."

Naminé frowned and shook her head. "I could never confuse you for him."

"Good. Feel this?" he asked, holding her hand against his chest. "That's _my_ heart. And it's mine to give."

The sensation of his beating heart beneath her fingertips overwhelmed her with emotion. She breathed sharply when he brought her hand up to his face and leaned into her open palm, closing his eyes.

"I know I'm connected to Sora and that you're connected to Kairi, but what they feel for each other belongs to them. Sora's feelings for Kairi were always unmistakably his, and I never could confuse her feelings for him as if they were meant for me. It's the same for you, isn't it?" He opened his eyes, and his gaze took her breath away.

He saw her. He saw everything, and yet still he accepted her.

Naminé's vision began to blur as her eyes filled with tears.

"Our feelings are our own, Naminé, and they're as real as we are. Believe me when I say I want to be right here with you—being honest with you is the least I could do after everything you've done for me, right?" He smiled. He smiled so beautifully that the walls within her heart, built on doubts and diffidence, crumbled at the sight.

She lost track of how long she cried into his shoulder. He didn't complain. He gently rubbed her back until her sniffles came to a stop. Naminé wrapped one of her arms around Roxas, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his jacket. She couldn't look him in the eye. Not yet.

"For what?" He seemed amused.

"For questioning your feelings. For not believing you."

"It's okay. That's what we've been taught and told for a long time. It takes time to change how you think about yourself, but one day you'll see yourself the way I do."

Naminé's lips curved into a small smile. "You… Riku said something similar when he picked me up."

Roxas chuckled. She loved the way it bubbled up to the surface. "As much as it pains me to admit it, he's right in a few cases. Don't tell him I said that."

She laughed and pulled away, wiping her face with her hands until all that remained were her puffy eyes.

"Thank you, Roxas, for saying all that."

He shrugged, his innocent smile reminiscent of his former Somebody. "Of course. I meant every word."

"Your friends are probably wondering where you are—"

"_Our_ friends," he quickly corrected, "can wait a little longer. I'm not finished here, so I'd like to stay if it's okay with you."

Naminé blushed. "Shame" probably wasn't in his vocabulary. "If that's what you want, then I won't deny your company."

"Great! Could you hand me that rock over there?" Roxas stood and brushed his hands on his pants.

"What do you need it for?" Naminé asked, handing him a sharp-looking stone.

"This." High above the drawing of Kairi, Roxas struck the cave wall with his rock, leaving behind a long streak of white.

Naminé watched him for a while. It quickly became apparent that he was drawing someone. "Who's that?"

Roxas feigned offense. "You can't tell? It's you."

Naminé gaped. She couldn't help but laugh. "Earlier you said that you hope I'll one day see myself the way you do, but I'm not so sure that's a good idea anymore."

Roxas raised his brow in surprise, placing his hands on his hips. "Oh, so you've got jokes now, huh?"

Naminé pushed herself to her feet, picking up a stone of her own. "Don't stop now. I'm sure it'll come together."

Roxas eyed the small rock in her hand. "Are you about to show me how it's done?"

"How about you focus on your drawing, and I'll focus on mine?"

They filled the Secret Place with sounds of stone scrapes and strikes. Naminé found that drawing on a cave wall with rocks was surprisingly difficult: the experience gave her a newfound respect for the young Sora and Kairi who managed to draw something that closely resembled each other.

The impromptu project reminded Naminé that she hadn't drawn or sketched since waking up. She found comfort in the routine, and focusing on putting pen to paper—or in this case, scratches on stone—meant she didn't have to think about anything else.

She'd occasionally notice Roxas pause to watch her. She'd always drawn in solitude, so feeling his gaze on a crude-looking and unfinished work filled her with a strange anxiety.

"No peeking," she'd warn while covering her drawing.

Naminé didn't know much time had passed, but they eventually agreed to reveal their drawings at the same time. They each covered their cave art with the hands, and after Roxas counted down, they stepped away.

Surprisingly, both had managed a passing resemblance to the actual person—though Roxas's drawing barely surpassed Sora's old drawing of Kairi.

"Not bad." Naminé giggled at her portrait. "I like this one long line of hair here," she said, tracing a streak that was longer than the rest.

"Yeah. Your hair is longer, so I had to add something to distinguish you. Too bad I don't have a rock that can draw blond hair."

Roxas stared at hers, smiling to himself. His silence was unnerving. "Okay, so yours is way better than mine," he said after a while. "I'm not sure why you chose to draw Ven, but I'm sure he'd find it impressive."

Naminé rolled her eyes and snatched the rock Roxas had used to draw. She quickly added a small shape that matched the emblem over his shirt.

"Oh, I get it. That's me! That's one handsome drawing." He grinned when it earned him a laugh. "Feeling better now?"

Naminé blinked and folded her hands behind her back. "I am, actually. Thank you, Roxas."

"No problem. What do you say we head back outside and bother everyone else?"

Naminé was about to agree but paused when she looked at the drawing beneath theirs. "Actually, you go ahead. I'll be out in a moment—just have something to fix."

"Something wrong?"

"Yeah. I don't have a moustache," she said, pointing to the mouth of his drawing.

"Suit yourself," Roxas said, holding back his laughs. He bent down and scooped up his drink. "I can tell you really want to fix it."

"I'll be out soon. I promise." She waited for him to leave before turning her attention back on the drawings. Truth be told, his drawing was fine, and she had no intention of changing it. There was just something she needed to add.

Taking an extended look at the paopu fruit drawings below, Naminé went back to work.

* * *

Hayner jogged over to Pence and Olette, who looked like they were having enough fun looking for shells on the beach. He rounded them up and huddled a safe distance away from Donald and Goofy.

"Alright dream team, the terms have been decided! Hey, where'd Roxas go?" he asked.

"He got away in time," Olette said with a sigh.

"He had some other business to take care of. I think he said he'll try to join us later."

"Great! That works nicely. So, it's us versus those two clowns over there." Hayner nodded toward Goofy and Donald, who looked like they were huddled up as well. "Now I know they're just a couple of half pints, but we've got to bring our A-game—"

"What is he on about?" Olette asked Pence.

Pence shrugged. "Just go with it."

"Guys, pay attention! We have until the sun sets to build the coolest sand sculpture possible. That's not a lot of time, so I think we should go with something simple, but relevant."

"Or we could just build whatever and have some fun. It's not like this contest has a prize."

"Olette, what did I just say about bringing our A-game? Pretend it's a summer assignment if you have to!"

Pence, more willing to indulge Hayner, spoke up with his idea. "Oh. Oh! We should sculpt the gummi ship!"

"No, too many angles and straight edges. We'll never finish in time. It needs to be something simple so we've got a nice clean look when time's up."

"Or not, I guess. I need a girls' day. Where's Xion and Naminé when I need them?" Olette mumbled to herself. She looked over to Donald and Goofy. The latter looked back at her and shrugged.

"Oh, I've got it! We should make a 3D version of one of those lucky emblems!"

Hayner excitedly pumped his fists. "A lucky emblem! Pence, you're a genius. Lucky emblems are all the rage right now! We are going to _crush_ them. Hands in, everyone. We're leaving this beach as champions."

Olette reluctantly added her hand. "Well, at least we made it to the beach."

* * *

As the sun continued its approach to the horizon, Xion and Axel found a moment alone at the end of the dock. Their day at the beach came long after they made their promise, and now it was finally coming to an end.

"Xion, have you ever wondered why the sun sets red?"

"I get the feeling that you really want to tell me."

"You know I'm something of a scientist myself," Axel said, "or at least I was apprenticed to be, so you can cool it on the sass." He ruffled Xion's hair for good measure.

"Hey!" Xion giggled and swatted his hand away.

"You missed the first lesson a long time ago, so consider this a make-up class. You see, Xion, light is made up of many colors. You've seen a rainbow, right? Long story short, those are the colors of light. Out of all of them, red is the one that travels the farthest."

"So, if the colors were all racing each other, red always finishes in last place?" Xion asked.

"Don't get smart with me," Axel said. "The sunrise is red too. Red is first and last, the alpha and omega. It's the best color in the world. Got it memorized?"

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

Axel chuckled. "I'm just wondering… have you ever seen a sunrise before?"

Xion shook her head. "Not my own."

"Oh, right. Sora's memories."

"I can barely recall any of them now," Xion reassured, "and as time passes, they've been disappearing. But what I can recall is that Sora didn't wake up before sunrise very often, so I don't have a lot of experience either way."

"Good thing we'll have plenty of opportunities then. One day we'll all wake up, hike up a mountain or something, and watch the sunrise together. It's every bit as spectacular as the sunset—maybe more since it's a beginning rather than an end."

"In Twilight Town?" Xion asked.

"We'll obviously have to travel. Ven said that we should all visit his world the next time there's a meteor shower." Axel leaned back until he was lying down. "We can stay up all night, watch the sunrise together, and go to bed in the morning. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like it'd be a lot of fun." Xion leaned back, swinging her legs over the edge. She closed her eyes, listening to the way the water crashed onto the shore in a slow rhythm. She would have to make sure to look for shells later and bring some home—especially ones that captured this sound.

Their reverie was interrupted when Roxas ran over to them, his steps reverberating down the dock. Axel sat up, yawning.

"Found you!" Roxas excitedly took up the small space between Xion and Axel.

"That's our line," Xion said. "Where have you been? You were gone for a while. One moment you're playing with Riku and Terra, and the next you're gone."

"I was chatting with Naminé for a while before hanging out with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Nope'd right out of there when Hayner challenged Donald and Goofy to a sand sculpture contest. I think Olette wanted out too, but you can't save everyone." Roxas said. "What have you been up to?"

"I was just telling Xion why the sun sets red," Axel said tiredly.

Roxas turned to Xion with a crooked smile. "You too?"

"I've been initiated," Xion joked. "You missed a lot. The King handed out gummi phones, we ate some treats that Donald and Goofy brought with them, and Isa said we're allowed to get a puppy!"

"Wait, what?" Roxas asked.

"I know, I was surprised too. Didn't think Isa liked dogs." Axel added.

"How did that even come up?"

"The King had a picture of his dog on his phone—"

"Xion _freaked._"

"—Mickey then said I should come over to play with Pluto someday, and that's when I said I'd love to have a dog of my own. I asked Isa and Axel and they said yes!"

"We said 'why not' actually. You'll have to prove you're capable of taking care of one first."

"So what you're saying is that we're getting a puppy," Roxas said.

Axel waved him off. "That's not—"

"What he's saying is that we're. Getting. A. Puppy," Xion said.

Axel groaned. Why did the King have to get this idea in their head? "Aww jeez. Let's wait until you've actually spent some time watching the King's dog and cleaned the mansion up a bit more."

"It sounds like we're getting a puppy," Roxas said once more, nodding to Xion in approval. He laughed when Axel smacked the back of his head.

"You two bring out the worst in each other."

"He meant to say the 'best,'" Roxas said to Xion.

"Axel, is that any way to treat your favorite people in the whole wide world?" Xion asked, leaning on Roxas's shoulder.

"Since you two insist on taking advantage of that knowledge, yes! That _is_ how I treat my favorite people."

"Lea!"

All three turned to see Isa and Ven on the beach. "We're gonna start the game. You in?" Ven yelled.

"Be right there!" Axel said. He turned to Roxas and Xion. "Alright, kiddos. Axel's gotta show those two how it's done."

"Well they specifically asked for Lea—"

"Roxas, don't start."

"Wait a second," Xion said, pulling out her gummi phone. "Let's take a picture before you go."

Before Axel could get away, Roxas threw his arm around Axel's neck and pulled both him and Xion so close their faces touched.

Xion snapped the picture.

"It's perfect!" Xion said, showing the other two. She looked great, but Roxas's eyes were scrunched closed and Axel's mouth was open since he was too busy protesting.

"Thanks, I hate it," Roxas said jokingly.

"Try not to smile as hard next time then."

"It was the sun's fault."

"We're not even centered in the frame!" Axel complained. He pulled out his own phone that Xion had returned to him and activated the camera. "Maybe give it to the guy with the longest arms so we all fit. Let me show you amateurs how it's done."

"Hang on. You sit in the middle," Roxas instructed after Xion whispered something in his ear.

"Ready now?" Axel asked impatiently. When both nodded, he wrapped one arm around Xion and held the camera far and high. "Three… two… one!"

"Cheese!" Roxas and Xion drawled as Axel took the photo. They quickly looked it over, their heads huddled over the small screen.

Xion squealed. "Okay, now _this_ is perfect. Make sure you send it to me!"

Axel's arms were long enough to capture most of the island in the background, and this time Roxas managed to keep his eyes open. What Axel did not notice while taking the picture was Xion and Roxas forming a heart with their hands over Axel's chest.

He didn't know what was cornier: the fact that they did it or the fact that it melted him inside.

He had to get away. These two were making him soft. "That's enough for now. You two behave, got it?"

"Only if it's convenient for us," Roxas said. "See you later."

As Xion watched Axel run off, an idea hit her. She held the camera up and smiled widely. "Roxas, go stand on the other end of the dock. I just got the coolest idea ever."

* * *

Riku sat with Aqua and Mickey on the beach, halting their planning for future get-togethers to take in the sights. He watched Xion and Roxas play with the gummi phone camera, laughing to himself while Roxas posed as if he were about to fall off the edge of the dock while Xion held her hand out as if she were about to flick him.

"Do you think they realize how silly that looks?" Aqua asked.

"I'm sure the pictures will come out great," Mickey said.

"Points for creativity," Riku said, his eyes still trained on the pair. This time, Roxas froze in a running motion while Xion lined him up with the palm of her hand. He turned to Mickey and Aqua. "Sun's getting low now. Guess it always was a long shot, huh?"

Aqua shook her head. "It's late, but it's not yet over."

"Don't give up yet, Riku!" Mickey said encouragingly.

"I'm not. Sora has his own timing for things. Honestly, part of me is expecting to find him at his house having cake and a cup of tea."

Aqua rubbed her chin. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"True story. It's happened before" Riku grinned and turned his gaze on the horizon. "They'll come back. There's nothing that will stop Sora from bringing Kairi home safe. And if you find one, the other is never too far away."

"And if they need it, I'm sure they know they could always rely on you."

"Don't give them any ideas, Mickey," Riku joked. "I've got some unfinished business with Terra and Roxas, so I'll be right back. Talk later?"

"We'll be here, Riku."

Riku made his way down the beach, dodging a frisbee and passing by Hayner, Pence, and Olette's giant… globe? Their sand sculpture looked like a giant sphere. On the other hand, Donald employed Goofy's assistance as he created a giant sculpture of… himself.

Go figure.

As he approached Xion and Roxas, who were now joined by Naminé, he made sure to wait outside the frame of their photos. He smiled.

Sora and Kairi would've been overjoyed to see everyone together like this.

The day was winding down, but as Aqua had said, it was far from over. He had planned on setting up a bonfire so everyone could continue the festivities when it got dark, but it looked like there was still some time for one more game. When it seemed like they were free, Riku called out to his two sparring partners for one final contest on the day.

"Sora... Kairi... it's time to come home."

* * *

"_Kairi, remember what you said before? I'm always with you too."_

He once promised her that he'd come back to her. He'd never forget the sensation of her hand slipping from his as they parted or watching her drift back into the Realm of Light with their home.

Returning home was never about returning to the Destiny Islands.

It was always about being with her.

He found her in a land of endless sea and sky, waiting for him like always.

* * *

"_You're home."_

She once watched him come home by falling from the sky like a shooting star. She'd never forget the sensation of his hand tightening around hers as they reunited—the way he smiled up at her as she pulled him from the sea.

She always made him promise to return home—not to any one place, but to her.

It was always about being with him.

There was so much she still needed to say to him, but for now, this was enough.

* * *

They land at sunset, exactly where they had shared a paopu fruit just days ago. He turns to her and smiles. He had met many princesses in his journey through the worlds, but his heart had always belonged to the one before him now.

He asks her to look at him. One more time before he goes.

* * *

She looks at him, willing herself to memorize every detail of this boy who had always held her heart. He had gone on many journeys without her before, but parting was never as difficult as the one now.

His hand tightens around hers.

The tears fall, but she smiles through it.

They look into each other's eyes, a wordless exchange of a million promises.

Then, he fades away.

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor**: Thank you so much for reading, and sorry for the long wait. I had a lot of trouble deciding which character interactions I wanted to write, but I'm somewhat satisfied with my choices. I would've liked to do more Sora/Kairi, but no amount of words from me could really convey the feelings of that ending scene any better. Writing that last bit was like opening a wound I thought I had already healed. Oof.

If you find any errors, please let me know ASAP! I'm posting this without letting someone else see it first, so there may be some nonsensical sentences or missing punctuation or missing words.

Special thanks to the folks who added this story to their favorites or alert list. There were a decent number of you, and I even recognized some of the names! Good to know y'all are still around. To **BlissfulNightRain, Teancumer, SummonerDagger88, Naivette, RocknRollZombie,alwaysmile, Nexmajise, Half-Dragon Hero, AuraMay, xxxNam-niCxxx, Guest, **and **highhello**, thank you for reviewing! I'm so grateful for your feedback and hope you got my replies! For those that I couldn't reply to (due to anonymous review or disabled PM), know that I appreciate you taking time to let me know your thoughts on the story.

It was a pleasure writing for you all again. Take care, everyone. I'll see you around.


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